1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a fluid absorbent assembly, and more particularly, relates to a fluid absorbent assembly providing fluid absorption in an animal cage. The invention additionally relates to a method of using such an assembly.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Modern laboratories and universities that perform research with test animals often require large animal populations. Such test animals typically include small mammals such as mice or rats, but may also include larger test animals. Isolating one or more test animals in a confined cage is often required to prevent comingling of the test population members and to control experimental variables. The cages often are installed in rack systems that include hundreds or even thousands of cages in order to conserve space, provide easy access to and visual inspection of the cages, and facilitate the supply of food, drinking water, and nesting material.
Within these rack systems, drinking water is supplied to the caged animals via animal-operated drinking valves. The drinking valve may, for example, include a stem that dispenses water when the stem is deflected by an animal. It may alternatively take the form of a simple sipper tube.
The valves may receive water from bottles or bags located within or adjacent to the cage or via manifolds that receive water from a central source of an integrated automated watering system. Manifolds typically are preferred in larger facilities because the monitoring and refilling of individual bottles or bags is time consuming.
However, the drinking valves within the individual cages are susceptible to forming leaks, as are other components within the integrated automated watering system. Additionally, infrequent human monitoring of the cages greatly limits the potential for early leak detection. As a result, even slow or low volume leaks have the potential for risking the well-being of the test animals over a long duration.
Prior cage systems have included ventilation and/or drainage holes located in the bottom the cages. However these systems risk flooding adjacent and lower cage via cascading water. Accordingly, with solid walled cages, any valve leak can risk the well-being of the animal or animals housed in the associated cage and potentially jeopardize the associated research.
Thus, despite prior attempts to mitigate the potential harmful effects of a valve leak in an animal cage, there remains need for improvement.